Hand in Hand
by h0kut3n
Summary: From Anime EP136, a NaruSaku rewrite of the hospital scene & when they leave Konoha. Nothing big, or fancy, just a little something MORE that we want. :D


**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. If I did, NaruSaku would rule the world, and Temari would be my wife. No...NaruSaku wouldn't rule the world. Naruto X Sasame would! (Muahahaha! Go Filler Episode Girls!) 

**Naruto Filler!**

_Anime Ep 136: Hospital & Konoha Border scenes_

**Part 1:** _Hand in Hand_

Naruto had just been recaptured by Shizune & her medical squad from the hospital. It was his fifth escape since he had came back from the failed mission to bring back Uchiha Sasuke. Shizune sat with him everytime telling him that even though he may "feel" better, he should still gain some rest and fully recover. But Naruto being himself would always complain and keep saying...

"I need to start training as soon as possible so I can become stronger!"

He said, struggling against the main thick ropes that tied him down to the bed, and black hair was tied around his wrists, so that he could not use an escape jutsu. He vigorously wriggled, and tried to make a sixth attempt to escape from the hospital again. Shizune sitting next to him, simply replied with the same scoldings.

"If so, then listen to what the medical team says, and rest quietly!"

Shizune cared for Naruto, even though they had only met so recently, she felt as if he was her little brother. As Tsunade was her older sister to look after, she felt that Naruto was also some she had to look after. And as an "older sister" to him, she would consitantly scold him to get better, and tell him to rest properly. She admit he is just as troublesome as Tsunade, but atleast this "little brother" doesn't go out drinking and gambling like Tsunade used to do. And for that she felt better for Naruto. Shizune knows of his determination and his will to get stronger, but sometimes you just need to rest up in order to get better.

Suddenly there was a quiet knock at the door, interuppting her and Naruto's little arguement. Shizune turned to look at the door and replied.

"Come in."

The door opened slowly, and a pink haired girl peeped into the room. As she was standing outside breifly to hear a muffled arguement. Just then Naruto through the thick ropes raised his hand, waved at the girl, and gave a wry little laugh with a big smile.

"Sorry about this, Sakura-chan! If I could, I'd be moving a lot sooner."

Sakura came in closing the door behind her, her face expression showed a little confusion as she was wondering why Naruto was tied up so heavily. Then she looked to Shizune who then gave her an explaination.

"His regenerative abilities are amazing, but he's not allowed to overdo it."

Naruto raising his head just within view of Shizune's head level.

"I'm fine!"

Shizune turned to look at him again and scolded at him again.

"Bear it a little longer!"

And his head fell back down to his pillow on the bed. Shizune then turned and began to leave as she was done checking up on Naruto. Just as she walked past Sakura, she whispered to her so that Naruto couldn't hear her.

"Be with him. I can't get him to settle down, but perhaps you could calm him down. Tell him that he needs to rest. Please."

Sakura looked down for a moment, then nodded her head slightly. Afterwards Shizune left the room closing the door behind her, leaving the two of them alone. Sakura still stood there looking as if she was lost and confused. Breaking the silence, Naruto let out a small chuckle giving her a half-smile.

"You'll wait just a little longer, right? I'll keep that promise, no matter what!" He said.

Sakura having heard that comment, shook her head and tried to smile. "It's fine."

At that response Naruto had this baffled look as Sakura shook her head.

"All I did was depend on you, and not do anything myself."

He still looked at her with a confused look, but also with concern. "Sakura-chan, did something happen?"

She continued to speak with this forced smile. "No. Now that I've seen your cheerful face, I feel relieved."

She turned around and began to walk towards the door again. Naruto couldn't believe what he was hearing, he knew deep inside that she was hurting, but put on this forced smile to keep him from worrying about her. But instead, this action would only make him worry even more and hurt him inside as well. Just as Sakura came over to the door and put one hand to open it slightly, Naruto could see her face in the reflection on the window of the door. It was a face he had never seen before on Sakura. It was almost blank, but her eyes revealed another intention. He could almost see exactly what she was thinking. This face that wanted to cry, yet also showed a sort of unknown intention. It was more than he could bear, Naruto himself almost wanted to cry, but instead called out to her before she stepped out into the hallway.

"Sakura-chan." He spoke a little more mellowed out.

It grabbed her attention, and she turned back to face him once more. Naruto then looked away for a moment, he felt his cheeks sligtly turn red, and he spoke to her. "Please don't leave yet."

Sakura looked at him with a little surprise as he had summoned up the courage to ask her those words. Her face then changed to sympathy, and again tried to give a forced smile, which ended up to be a sad smile.

"Please stay. Just for a few more moments. I won't struggle or strain myself anymore."

She then closed her eyes, as this was such a strange new feeling inside of her. But strangely enough, this was exactly when she tried to stop Sasuke. It was strange, Naruto was actually asking her to just stay, as if he knew what she was going to do. If it was to calm Naruto down, then she closed her eyes and smile again. She then came back into the room and pulled a chair up next to his bed. It was the least she could do for him, at least bring comfort to someone else who was close to her. Naruto was still kinda nervous as he didn't really think Sakura would come this close, so he was fidgeting with his hands. Sakura saw that and tried to help calm him down, so she did the only thing she could think of. She reached over, and just simply held his hands. To her surprise, they were fairly worn out from all his training, but they were warm and gentle. His shaking then came to a slow stop, then Naruto then turned to look at her and gave this warm smile, that she knew said _"thank you"_.

Soon afterwards, Naruto finally fell asleep, and Sakura got up from the side of the bed and made her way out of the room again. It was late in the afternoon and the sun was nearly down. Just before she closed the door, she looked back again at Naruto. Only this time it was with the sad face she came in with earlier.

Later in the day, Ero-Senin came by to check up on his pupil to be. He had some matters to discuss with him...

* * *

Later in the evening, Naruto thought of his earlier meeting with Sakura and that face of sorrow he saw in the refelction of the door's window.

"Could it be that... Sakura-chan's going to...?"

He wasn't sure if her intentions were real or not, but all he knew was that he had to get out. Get out, and get to her before it was too late. He struggled once again against the ropes, concentrating his energy hard. Just then the black hair tied around his wrists broke! Then his focused his energy and broke through the thick rope bonds around the bed! He was free again...

* * *

**Part 2:** _Not Alone_

Through the night, Sakura was rushing her way towards the border of Konoha. Jumping from tree to tree as fast as her legs could take her, but also as quietly as she could as not to get caught. She then jumped down and came to the very same spot where she had tried to stop Uchiha Sasuke from leaving Konoha. The same place where she cried her heart out to stop him, but he had left. Now it was her turn to go after the lost Uchiha boy. She got up from her spot, turned around to look at Konoha one last time.

_'This might be my last farewell.'_

She thought to herself, her eyes where going to tear, but she tried not to cry. She lowered her head, then turned again to face the open road. Suddenly some had caught up to her, someone who she had visited just today, someone who she thought would be the last person to come to her at this moment.

"Sakura-chan!"

That voice, she turned around quickly and saw that it was Naruto. He was already dressed up, and packed ready to go.

"Why?" She spoke with shock.

Naruto stood there before her without his headband, and with a stern grin on his face. She then turned around to face him and told him.

"I know what you're thinking! No matter what I try, I probably can't do anything!" Then looked away with sorrow. "But, I don't like just sitting around and doing nothing. I was always in everyone's way... Depending on all of you... And I couldn't do anything right." Then her face changed to an angry determination. "There's no point in trying to stop me!"

Naruto looked at her with a face of 'why are you saying such a thing'. Then after her last comment, he closed his eyes and replied with.

"I won't."

Sakura's face then changed again to surprise at his reply.

"Do what you need to until you're satisfied." Naruto continued, opened his eyes and showed her a face of determination as well, then it changed to a big smile. "But, I'm coming with you!"

Sakura then looked away again, her eyes felt like she was going to cry, but she held it in. "But..."

Naruto kept on talking stopping her from whatever she was going to say, he kept his smile on. "Although it's become just the two fo us, we're a three man team, right?"

Just then tears slowly came from her eyes, as she saw that even when she was going to abandon Konoha, and even abandon Naruto, he still came to her. All so could do was walk towards him and embrace him. Naruto was a little taken in by this, but all he could do to comfort her as well was to hold her back and let her cry on his shoulder. There were so many emotions running through her head, painful ones, but also new ones that made her feel better. Ones of Naruto here and now, and at that thought she hugged him even tighter, then at that point Naruto said.

"Ah-ta-ta-ta-ta! Sakura-chan, I'm still hurting!" He tried to lighten up the mood, even though he WAS still recovering (slightly).

She then wiped her tears away, gave him an honest warm smile, and told him. "Thank you, Naruto."

Suddenly a third person was there and interrupted their moment.

_"You guys!"_

Another unexpected visitor and more unexpected news. The person came jumping out of a bush and appeared before both of them. Just then Naruto's eyes were open and he had a look of surprise.

"Ero-senin!"

**The End.**

**A/N:** Yeah we all know the rest. Rice Country, Hidden Village Of Sound, all that filler episode jazz. Since the Anime Filler has nothing to do with the Manga, I wanted to have some fun with it. The hospital scene & the Konoha Border scene was all I wanted to write. Both had sooo much potential for NaruSaku-ness so I had to take advantage. So here it is, my "little" scene edits for our NaruSaku pleasure! Hope yall like it! Oh yeah...LIKE OMFG I actually and FINALLY wrote something after the past few months! GO ME!


End file.
